The AM Roundup: When There’s Smoke, You Can Be Fired

Occupational hazard: Medical and recreational marijuana use may be legal in Colorado, but businesses in the state still have the right to fire people who test positive for the drug, a Colorado appellate court ruled Thursday. WSJ

Bulger claim disputed: Federal prosecutors lashed out at James “Whitey” Bulger’s lawyers for claiming that the notorious gangster was granted immunity from prosecution for his crimes. Boston Globe

Non-citizen jurors: The California Assembly passed a bill on Thursday that would make the state the first in the nation to allow non-citizens who are in the country legally to serve on jury duty. AP

Take downs: Google reported that government content removal requests increased from 1,811 in the first half of 2012 to 2,285 in the second half of 2012. Most requests were related to cases of alleged defamation and privacy and security concerns. BGR

Show me the money: A federal judge has ordered two plaintiffs’ law firms to provide details of their political contributions following “pay to play” allegations put forth by a defendant in a securities class action. Reuters

Patent ruling: Microsoft Corp.'s court victory over Motorola Mobility Thursday marked a turning point in a two-year legal fight over media streaming and Wi-Fi patents and may help put the brakes on rampant patent warfare. WSJ

About Law Blog

The Law Blog covers the legal arena’s hot cases, emerging trends and big personalities. It’s brought to you by lead writer Jacob Gershman with contributions from across The Wall Street Journal’s staff. Jacob comes here after more than half a decade covering the bare-knuckle politics of New York State. His inside-the-room reporting left him steeped in legal and regulatory issues that continue to grab headlines.

Must Reads

Plaintiffs' lawyers dodged a bullet last year when the U.S. Supreme Court spared a quarter-century-old precedent that had served as the legal linchpin of the modern investor class-action case. Despite that win, a new report suggests that securities class actions have lost some of their firepower.

In a week in which images of Prophet Muhammad were connected to acts of terror and defiant expressions of freedom, a sculpture of the prophet of Islam inside the U.S. Supreme Court has drawn little notice.

Alan Dershowitz has vowed to slap a defamation suit against the two lawyers who claimed in a court document that Florida financier Jeffrey Epstein arranged sexual liaisons for him with an underage prostitute. Those lawyers have beaten him to the punch.

The salacious allegations against Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz that surfaced in a federal lawsuit involving convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have generated international attention. Drawing less coverage is the lawsuit itself -- a case with the potential to expand the rights of crime victims during federal investigations.